For the FathersMinistry

“A lot of people think we get this idea [that violence solves nothing] from Jesus,”. “This is one of the things they love: ‘You hypocritical conservatives, you think violence is a solution — you call yourself a Christian, you’re not.’ Jesus told his followers to carry swords. Unless he had some sort of theory that fell out of in the Apocrypha that these were just great big kabob skewers, presumably he thought they were going to be useful for something.” (Goldberg)

“Violence solves all sorts of problems,”, “particularly violent problems. World War II was a problem, Nazis were a problem, and we beat that problem through violence. Slavery ended through violence. Holocaust ended through violence.”

Rom13.3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

Luke22.35And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.

“People conveniently forget that secularism itself does not guarantee freedom, rationality ... or non-violence. Indeed, in the last century, most violence was perpetrated by secular states on their own people.” (Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor)